PNY 6600GT SLi mode problems

I am trying to install 2 x PNY Nvidia 6600 GT SLi video cards into my Asus
A8N-SLi Deluxe motherboard, however I can't get the nvidia software to give
me any SLi options under windows as decribed in the manual for the
motherboard. My OS is Windows XP SP2 fully up to date through windows
update.

All the hardware is where it should be, the SLi bridge, power to the EZ plug
etc.

I have down loaded the lastest Nvidia Video card drivers (version 77.72) and
the latest drivers for the nForce4 chipset (6.53).

Similar to another user on here my original motherboard BIOS version was
1006. When I went into the BIOS to check any possible settings it didn't
have the "SLI Mode" option in the Advanced menu, however it had an "SLI
Configuration" sub-menu inbetween "Onboard Device Configuration" and
"JumperFree Configuration". The only option that was available under the
"SLI Configuration" sub-menu was "EZ-Plug Warning" (enabled or disabled).

I updated my BIOS to 1011 and it still doesn't have the "SLI Mode" option
though now there is 2 more options under "SLI Configuration" along with the
"EZ-Plug Warning" (enabled or disabled).

- SLI Broadcast Aperture (auto or disabled)
- AI-Selector (auto, single video card or dual video card)

I have tried all these options apart form 'single video card', I have
changed the position of the video card selector to dual (the thing in
between the 2 PCIe slots) get no SLi options in windows.

The Windows does recognise 2 6600 GT video cards

According to tech sites I have browsed over the weekend I should get 'greyed
out' SLi optins in when there is only 1 card present I don't get this
either..

As I have updated the drivers ond the MB bios I am now struggling to see
what to try next....

 

is the bios on the card identical?

 

You mean are the BIOSes on the 2 video cards identical ?
A very good question indeed !!

OP: Boot the machine using each video card singly in turn and check
the video BIOS on the boot screen.

If they are not identical... hard luck. Hopefully you have an
extended-replacement warranty with your retailer. PNY's support
is a rusty tramp-steamer to China, and this is typhoon season......

John Lewis

 

According to Nvidia the bois on the cards does not have to be indentical,
however in this instance the bios on the 2 SLi video cards is the same:-
5.43.02.16.51

 

There's some new 80.xx drivers out there that have seriously improved
SLI.

 

Thanks connor where would I get these drivers (80.xx)????

 

FOund Nvidia driver version 80.40 on www.3dchipset.com

 

Now installed the 80.40 drives and they make no difference :-(

 

1. Did you enable SLI Multi GPU in nView Properties ?
2. Is your power-supply capable of supplying ~ 20 amps from +12V ?

John Lewis

 

This is the issue there is no SLi mutli GPU option in nView properties.

yes to psu question.

 

Mark Smith left a note on my windscreen which said:

This sounds to me like a problem with either the hardware (motherboard
or gfx cards) or the motherboard settings.

Have you tested both cards separately to ensure they are both working
properly? Are these older 6600GT cards?

 

These are brand new SLi video cards identical right down to the bios
version.

What motherboard setting would you be refering to, I have followed the
directions inthe motherboard manual to the letter.

 

Mark Smith left a note on my windscreen which said:

You have a later BIOS than I do on my Asus A8N-Deluxe motherboard so you
have a few extra settings. But from your postings you appear to have
all the setting correctly set.

The problems you are experiencing just don't seem like driver issues. I
would have a look at a hardware problem with either of the graphics
cards or the Asus board.

Test both the graphic cards separately to make sure they are both
working correctly in single operation. If they do then I would wonder
if it was a fault with the board.

It's difficult to troubleshoot since most people probably don't have two
other SLI capable cards or another SLI capable motherboard. I wonder if
a local computer store may be able to setup two alternative graphic
cards in your PC to check if the Asus board is functioning correctly or
not?

The only settings you haven't confirmed you have done, from what I can
see, is to make sure the Init Display First setting in the BIOS is set
to PCIEx instead of PCI (I have no idea if this makes a difference or
not TBH), that the SLI mode setting in the BIOS is set to SLI - not
Automatic and that the SLI connector bridge which goes across the top of
the graphic cards is properly connected. From your postings I am fairly
sure you have checked those settings and, assuming you have, this only
really leaves a hardware fault - IMHO.

 

Worth a try...they had some SLI improvements.

 

I have e-mailed mark privetly but i will post here as well, i am haveing the
exact same problem with mine and i have contacted PNY and ASUS, ASUS are
sending me out a replacement SLI link card to see if that is the problem as
they have said that this helped another customer fix theres but if it dont
fix it then i should return my mobo to point of sale for a replacement.
I will post my finding when the replacement part arrives.

Regards

Graham

 

The SLI Bridge arrived this morning and still no sli so i am going to
contact my point of purchase for a replacement.

 

Interesting....

The common factors are PNY 6600GT and Asus A8N-SLI
for both Mark and Caver99.

Any bets on the culprit(s) ???

The next week or so of this saga should be very interesting
indeed, especially if a replacement A8N-SLI does not fix the
problem.......

John Lewis

- Technology early-birds are flying guinea-pigs.